We Hate to Hurt
by FromLovesShadow
Summary: There is no rest for the HiMEs after the carnival, as Nao dissappears, followed by Chie, who was searching for her, and later, Shizuru is also spirited away. There is no trace, til Chie appears with an ominous warning of the bloodshed to come. yuri
1. Chapter 1

I don't own Mai HiME…I'm just borrowing…*sniff*

P.S Listen to Shizuru's character song while reading this for increased atmosphere. (or any song with a deep sound but that's what I listened to while writing this so…)

Chapter 1: To Those Whom Love has Abandoned

A young university student weaved through the trees of the forest using the light from the moon overhead to partially light her way, her long light brown hair flaring out behind her, caught in the wind. Her pursuers trudged behind, keeping the woman within their sights, all while maintaining the distance that had been set by their masters. Their orders had been simple; observe the target until the time for extraction came. They never expected her to run, let alone notice them. Though, in hindsight, perhaps they had underestimated the former HiME, a Highly advanced Materializing Equipment. They had treated her as a normal target, instead of the dangerous weapon she was, and would become once more.

The woman panted lightly, her ruby eyes darting to the left and right, searching for a route to escape. The ones following her were beginning to close in, having been issued new orders. More were also joining their ranks, leaving no room for the girl to escape. Instinct took over as the woman darted forward, slipping through their ranks before they had a chance to fully organize themselves. How long had she been running? When would the light of morning finally come to relieve her? The woman's limbs ached, her stamina was running thin, but there was no end to this play of cat and mouse in sight, she had to keep going.

Seeing a small overhang, the woman dove toward it and pressed herself against the rocks, trying desperately to still her ragged breath and remain silent and still. Her diligent pursuers hovered close by, having lost sight of their target, and quickly began to spread out to search for their elusive target. The woman took this moment to study who had been chasing her. They were dressed in normal street clothes, varying from adolescence to adulthood. Their faces weren't that of monsters either, but their expressions were all the same and reflected a cold stillness that chilled the woman to the bone. Yes, despite their seemingly ordinary countenance, it was clear to the woman that her stalkers weren't completely human. They also showed no sign that they had been chasing her; their skin was unmarked while the woman's was riddled with scratches, and their breath was even despite the long chase. The woman remembered a similar, though warmer, expression on the android girl who had been involved in the Carnival, Greer Miyu.

The woman was shaken from her thoughts when a young man with straight dark hair, perhaps nearing seventeen years of age, walked toward her hiding place. This man's expression was unlike the others, showing his great irritation in losing the target. He stood near the overhang, hands on hips, scanning the area before shouting into the night, "Come out, Fujino! It doesn't matter how far or for how long you run, we will still find you! You will never escape us!"

Fujino Shizuru let out a silent sigh; this man must be acting as a leader of sorts for the mission of capturing her. _'__Ara__, what kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into this time, Shizuru-san?'_ Shizuru thought, ruefully. Although, this could hardly be considered her fault; after all, they were the ones who had been following Shizuru for the past few weeks.

A thought struck Shizuru, causing fear to flood through her. Yuuki Nao, a fellow HiME, had disappeared about half a year ago. The first to notice her absence was her roommate, Senoh Aoi. Aoi had waited a few days before revealing her worry for the young troublemaker, for it was common even now, after the HiME Carnival, for her to roam the streets at night and skip classes. Shizuru had been contacted later that week by a distressed Tokiha Mai, who asked her if she had heard from Nao or had seen her. When questioned about the case further, Mai revealed that Harada Chie had also gone missing while searching for Nao. Chie was well known as the local gossip, her skill for obtaining information was renowned among the Fuuka students, but Mai suspected that perhaps Chie had discovered something that should've remained hidden. _'Ara, Mai-san, I think I have discovered what happened to Yuuki-san and Harada-san,'_ Shizuru thought to herself with a shiver.

Soulless eyes turned toward her as Shizuru froze on the spot. '_They could detect that little movement?' _ Shizuru thought with dread, this situation she was in was rapidly deteriorating before her eyes. The almost lifeless figures were moving closer, in seconds they would find her and she would be trapped. Shizuru tensed, preparing to make a break for it, hoping to surprise them enough to get away, praying that she would live through this night. Shizuru bit her bottom lip, she was scared. Not of death itself, for she felt, deep in her heart, that she deserved to die, perhaps an even worse death than this; no, not death, but what lay beyond. How the gods will make her suffer for her sins, she pondered. But, for now, while death is still far from her, Shizuru will fight for her life so one day, perhaps, a chance to cleanse her of sin will present itself.

"Ah, there you are, Fujino-san. Have you given up yet?" Shizuru jumped when the angry young man spoke softly into her ear. He chuckled ruefully, his black eyes scanning the woman before him, whose fierce scarlet eyes glared back at him from her otherwise calm expression. "Are you scared, Fujino-san? Would you perhaps like a chance to fight back?" He grinned as Shizuru's eyes widened. What was this man thinking?

The man gestured for Shizuru to begin walking in front of him, back toward civilization, "I would be more than happy to give you that chance, Fujino-san; that is if you would just allow me to escort you to a more suitable arena, of course." The young man's smile held an edge of cruelty to it; making Shizuru imagine the worst if she chose to follow him.

Shizuru stood her ground, however, and carefully scanned her surroundings before returning her gaze to the young man. "May I ask exactly who is escorting me? And, perhaps, why such a person would be interested in me?" Shizuru was treading on thin ice now, she would need to play her cards carefully if she was to escape unscathed.

"Oh?" the man looked mildly surprised, "You would like to know who I am? Haha, very well Fujino-san, allow me to introduce myself. I am subject Ra71k, more commonly known as Ravik among my…clients; I guess you could call them."

Shizuru noticed Ravik's choice of words with interest, "Is this a job from a client then, Ravik-san?" If this man was a simple mercenary, then he could probably be persuaded to abandon a previous contract with the right encouragement. '_Though, this man's title troubles me. Subject Ra71k? Whatever could that mean?'_ Shizuru worried, keeping eye contact with the man.

"Tch, nah, this is something I was ordered to do. Would you like to hear about my burden in this task, Fujino-san?" The man looked toward her with a wounded expression, as if he was expecting her to comfort him. Shizuru let a small amount of disgust slip through her mask; the nerve of this man, acting so familiar with her! Ravik let out a booming laugh at her expression, "Ah, Fujino-san! If only I could properly express my hatred for you and your companions! They would have you and yours replace my companions and me! My own creators are unsatisfied with my work, choosing instead to create a new breed out of you abominations! Worse yet, they took someone completely unrelated to replace us! Just because the bitch managed to find us!" Ravik's laugh obtained a crazed edged to it and Shizuru edged away silently.

Ravik wiped his eyes as the laughter subsided, "Haa…Fujino-san, you have no idea how I wish to ravage your flesh with a blade. So I will give you that chance to fight back. I will provide your weapon, do worry. You should be very pleased with the one I had brought along with me."

"Ara, how thoughtful of you," Shizuru murmured softly, "However, I must decline this invitation. I had promised someone very important to me that I would never take up arms again while I am within my right mind. As this is so, perhaps you could simply set me free and we could resume our game of cat and mouse?"

Ravik's face twisted with contempt, "Don't try to talk your way out of this, bitch! Either way, you're going to die a painful death! You will feel agony unlike that of any pain you have ever-" Ravik's words were interrupted as a long black blade ran through his torso. Shizuru's eyes widened as dark blood splashed forward hitting her face and coat, the blade only centimeters from her own heart.

"Idiot," a new voice spoke from behind the now dead man's body, "You just couldn't follow orders, could you?" The speaker tossed the body to the side, flicking excess blood off her sword. The newcomer was around the same age as Ravik, abate, female. Her short, though longer than Minagi Mikoto's, spiky hair ruffled in the wind as her glowing red eyes scanned the area before settling on Shizuru. The expression this one wore showed irritation similar to Ravik's, but Shizuru could see concern also in her eyes.

"Oi, are you all right?" asked the girl hesitantly, she seemed reluctant to speak with Shizuru, almost seeming self-conscious of herself, "I won't introduce myself. This'll be the first and last time you'll see me. Don't bother thanking me either. I'm only here to deliver you to my masters since that fool couldn't." The girl looked away and signaled a few of the others who had been blocking Shizuru's escape routes forward. The girl returned her gaze to Shizuru and stared for a moment before stepping toward her.

"I'm really sorry for this," the raven haired girl lunged forward, seizing Shizuru by the throat and lifted her into the air. She pressed Shizuru against the cliff, effectively cutting her breath, "I wish they would've been happy with us. It's bad enough that they ruined our lives but now they wish for your soul as well. That other girl reminded me of my lover…though a lot wilder. I'm so sorry, really. I-…" Shizuru's vision faded as she watched a painful sad expression cross her assaulter's face, her struggles doing nothing.

"I'm so sorry."


	2. To Those Who have Left Love Behind

**Sorry it took me forever to post this, my life decided to knock down my door and kick me in the ass. The result; I'm now coved in spider bites, mosquito bites (dam blood suckers…), poison ivy, and very sunburnt (I'll become a human scab by the end of this month). And, no, I did not go camping, nor am I on the run. I have also experienced a plot shift so I had to rewrite this chapter. Blah, whatever, enjoy the starting of the plot. (writing this made me feel like I was kicking a puppy. Sorry, Natsuki!)**

**I wish I owned Nao, Shizuru, and Chie, but bad things seem to happen when I come to posses fictional characters…**

**Musical backdrop: Something with a fast beat but a depressing/vengeful lyrics; Three Days Grace's 'World So Cold,' or Papa Roach's Blood (Empty Promises) and the like.**

Chapter 2: To Those Who have Left Love Behind

"Damn it!" A sharp curse could be heard from the inside of a third floor apartment, followed by a loud thud and a muffled string of profanities. Tokiha Mai, who had been standing in front of the one and only Kuga Natsuki's apartment with a grocery bag in hand, fully intent on forcing entry, if need be, and feeding her sure to be distraught friend, now stared blankly at her friend's door in surprise, what the hell was Natsuki doing in there?

"Natsuki? Are you ok?" Mai knocked on the door, concerned. It wasn't like Natsuki to be clumsy and when she was, the damage to the surroundings was fairly large and her injuries were usually received as an after-effect, so Mai was worried that Natsuki might have seriously injured herself. There were a few moments of silence before Mai could hear her friend make her way to the door. More seconds passed, "Natsuki?"

"What?" the speaker snarled without opening the door, "I'm busy, Mai. Go away." Mai frowned; doing what? They had no classes today and Natsuki didn't work Thursdays.

"Don't lie to me, Kuga! Open up, I brought you some lunch." Mai soften her words, Natsuki was hurting today, and her yelling at the woman wasn't going to help. There was another moment of silence, then Mai heard the girl inside hesitantly ask, "Did you bring mayo?"

Mai smile fondly at her friend's query, she was so predictable. "Yes, I did, so hurry up and open the door so you can eat this disgusting condiment." Mai joked, the door in front of her opening quickly at the confirmation, though her heart sank as she took in the appearance of the former HiME who stood in the door way. Natsuki's eyes looked bloodshot and weary, her black sleeveless shirt and sweatpants rumpled, and her right hand was crudely bandaged and stained with blood.

"Natsuki, what did you do to yourself?" Mai exclaimed, grabbing her friend's hand. Mai examined it quickly before letting a soft sigh loose. Natsuki's knuckles were only scraped and bruised, and there appeared to be no broken bones. Natsuki looked away from Mai, letting her fret over the wound, tightening the bandages and such, for a bit before grabbing the bag Mai had dropped and retreating into her living room.

Mai followed slowly, watching Natsuki flop onto the couch and begin searching through the bag for her treat. Mai continued staring at the girl, slightly miffed that she had ignored her, "Natsuki, come on, I'm trying to subtly tell you to get your shit together. The least you could do is pretend to care! It wasn't the end of the world last year or the years before, and it isn't this year either."

"What do you mean, 'get your shit together?' I'm fine! I have a steady job; I go to the university and study to be in law enforcement. My love life may suck but it's no worse than yours! I'm fine!" Natsuki's voice rose with each word, "And it is the end of a part of my world, Mai. You just don't get it! Your precious person is still right by your side, talking with you, smiling. She hasn't left you without a word only to disappear from society completely!" tears ran down Natsuki's face as she shouted those last words at Mai.

'_Why did Shizuru move so far away then? How could she have left me alone?'_ These lonely thoughts circled in Natsuki's head as she felt Mai hug her tightly and she sobbed into Mai's shoulder. It had been a year since Shizuru's mother called Natsuki to tell her that the investigations were being halted and Shizuru was to be pronounced dead after almost two years of searching. Natsuki was furious, how could they give up like that? Shizuru had to still be alive; this was _the_ Fujino Shizuru they were talking about here! There was no way she could die. Just hearing that she had gone missing had sent Natsuki into a panic. The separation had caused her a fair amount of pain, and now this? She had wanted to go and search for Shizuru herself, but Shizuru had never told her where she was going to college at and her mother refused to tell her, on the basis that there was nothing Natsuki could do to help anyway. And as much as it angered her, Natsuki knew it was true. The Fujino family had every resource at their disposal to find Shizuru, what could one middle class high school-going-on-university student do that could possibly help? That was when the guilt settled in and Natsuki felt that, perhaps, if she had tried harder, reach out to Shizuru more, maybe she would have stayed close by, maybe Natsuki could have saved her from whatever-whoever had done this.

"There, there, Natsuki, how would Fujino-san feel, seeing you like this? This is why I provoke your into letting it all out, stupid. It isn't healthy to keep it all in, trust me, I would know," Mai chided gently, rubbing Natsuki's back, "I bet, if Fujino-san were here, she would be right where I am, speaking to you in her weird Kyoto-ben, 'Ara, ara, why is Natsuki crying? I much prefer a happy Natsuki to this sad one! Ikezu, Natsuki, not letting me see her smile!'" Mai imitated Shizuru quite well; even the Kyoto woman in question would have been very impressed, "And, in case you've forgotten, I do know how it feels to lose my precious people! I still can't believe my little brother's heart was stolen away by a ninja!"

"Shut up," Natsuki rolled her eyes at Mai's bad humor and sniffed, god, how she longed to hear those teasing words and that aggravating accent. Natsuki wiped her eyes and moved away from Mai's embrace to the other end of the couch, choosing instead to snuggle up with a bottle of mayonnaise.

Mai continued to look at Natsuki with a questioning gaze until Natsuki said in a mildly annoyed tone, "What? Is there something on my face?"

"Actually, yeah, you have some mayo on your cheek. But, I'm still waiting for an explanation for your hand," Mai sighed, Natsuki isn't as bad as Aoi still is but Mai still felt she needed to watch them both closely. This was just more proof.

"Oh, this?" Natsuki said, holding up the injured appendage, "I punch a wall." Mai sighed, yep, more proof. Still there wasn't much she could do about it. Both girls became immersed in their own thoughts.

In the months after the HiME carnival, Natsuki had felt Shizuru distance herself and at first Natsuki didn't mind at all. They both could have used a break, what with all that had happened and that had been revealed during the chaos of that time. But it didn't stop at simple emotional distance; Natsuki swore that Shizuru had been going out of her way to avoid her. Kikukawa Yukino set her straight one day after Natsuki had barged into the student council room, looking for her elusive target, telling her that Shizuru was busy with end of the year work and she had no time to actively seek Natsuki out anymore. It had made sense and Natsuki had her own studies to worry about, especially if she wanted to graduate with her class. But Shizuru never did come back to Natsuki. Their contact grew less and less, until it stopped completely and Shizuru moved to god-knows-where without a word. She hadn't even left a phone number.

"Ne, Mai, how did you get Shizuru's number to tell her about Nao and Harada?" Natsuki asked, playing with the mayo bottle's cap. She had asked this question many times two years ago but Mai never told her, claiming that she promised her informant that she wouldn't tell.

Mai hesitated before looking over at Natsuki's curled up form and sighing, "Well I guess it's ok to tell you now, since the number doesn't work anyway." Natsuki glared at Mai, though the effect was ruined by a dab of mayonnaise on her cheek.

"Don't give me that look, Kuga Natsuki! I had promised I wouldn't tell you; there was nothing I could do about it!" Mai looked reproachfully back at the mayo-lover, "It's not like I wanted to hide it from you. In fact, if I had told you, this whole thing probably could have been avoided. I know you wouldn't have left Fujino-san alone until she reestablished contact with you or maybe moved a bit closer…" Mai stared down at the carpet with a small frown.

Natsuki looked at her friend, surprised, "Mai, none of this was your fault. A jury would be more convinced I was the criminal and convict me, if this were a crime, not you." Natsuki joked a little uneasily, had Mai always felt like this?

"Yeah, but they'd still arrest me as an accomplice!" Mai peeked over at Natsuki, pouting a bit.

Natsuki frowned, "Oi, ya know, that kinda pisses me off that you didn't disagree that I'd be the criminal, not you," Mai blinked once before doubled over and laughed hysterically. Natsuki's eyebrow began twitching as she closed her eyes and tried to calm herself, "What the hell is so funny, Tokiha?"

Mai held up one finger, she was laughing so uncontrollably she couldn't talk. It took Mai a few minutes to calm down and by that time Natsuki had devoured her first bottle of mayonnaise and had moved on to the second one Mai had brought. "Oh, god," Mai wiped her eyes, still fighting giggles. Natsuki was beginning to wonder if the woman had cracked, "You're so stupid, Natsuki! Here I thought you were going to try and cheer me up but then you go and say that! Honestly, you are so bad at dealing with people!" Mai grinned at her blue-haired friend teasingly.

Natsuki blushed, like she didn't already know that! "And that's why you nearly pissed yourself laughing? You're an idiot, Tokiha." If it wasn't for the fact that she brought Natsuki mayo, Natsuki probably would have thrown Mai out the window. And, as previously stated, they were on the third floor. "Whatever just answer the damn question. Stop stalling."

Mai stuck her tongue out at Natsuki, "I wasn't stalling, I really feel that way. But the past is past so there's nothing I can do about it now," Mai sighed, "And you have to promise not to get mad, ok? At least not at me, alright?" Natsuki nodded, hesitantly. This didn't look like it was going to end well.

Mai took a deep breath, "Erm, well you've probably guessed this already, but I got Fujino-san's number from her mother," Mai held up a hand to stop Natsuki from interrupting, "The reason she did that she made me promise not to tell you was because Fujino-san herself requested it."

Natsuki slumped back on the couch, shocked, "Why…why would Shizuru do that?" She looked over at Mai, who stared back sympathetically. "Mai, did she tell you why?"

Mai shook her head, "No, I'm afraid not. It sounded like Fujino-san and her mother were on bad terms, so I didn't pry. Um, Yukino-chan told me a reason for that but…" Mai looked at Natsuki with apprehension, trying to gauge how she would react to this news. Natsuki looked back, her expression blank. _'Ok, this isn't going to turn out well…but I guess there's no turning back now,'_ Mai thought, helplessly.

Mai took another deep breath before continuing, "It turns out, that Fujino-san's parents were planning on disowning her after she graduated from the university. I don't know why, though." Mai closed her eyes and flinched, waiting for Mt. Natsuki to erupt. Natsuki, however, just stood up and walked over into her bedroom. Mai opened her eyes, confused at the lack of response, and saw that Natsuki was no longer in the room. Hearing a noise in her friend's room, Mai followed, curious as to what Natsuki was doing. When she entered, Natsuki was throwing some clothes into a backpack on her bed. Mai blinked, and decided to voice her confusion, "Er, Natsuki? What are you doing?"

"I'm going to Kyoto." Was the curt answer.

"Why?"

"To interrogate that bitch who gave birth to Shizuru."

Mai sighed, even after all this time, Natsuki still did things without thinking, "Do you even know where she lives?" Natsuki paused, she hadn't thought of that.

"Jeez, and you call me an idiot!" Mai smiled, "Why don't we ask Haruka-san? Her parents have always been close to the Fujinos, well more like rivals, so she's bound to have visited at one time or another."

Natsuki looked up at Mai, surprised, "'we'?"

"Yes, 'we,' you nitwit! You think I'm just gonna let you go tell off that harpy by yourself? Besides, someone has to make sure you don't kill her," Mai said with a wink.

Natsuki grinned; maybe she wouldn't have to kill the red-head after all. "I knew there was a reason I kept you around. Thanks, Mai, this means a lot to me."

"Well, well, maybe you aren't a lost cause after all, Kuga-san. You can be quite the charmer when you put your mind to it!" Mai teased before ducking out of the way of a flying hair brush.

"Oi, Mai."

"Yes, Natsuki?"

"Remind me why we're in the backseat of a speeding car with Suzushiro at the wheel."

"Because, we don't have a car of our own and Haruka-san offered to lend us hers if she could come along to speak with Fujino-san's mother"

"Oh," Natsuki rested her head against the window, looking slightly green. Mai wasn't doing much better in the seat next to her.

After they had left Natsuki's apartment, Mai had set to work preparing for the trip and making enough food for Mikoto to last the week, while Natsuki set to work tracking down Haruka. As it turned out, the loud blonde was a lot harder to find than one would think, so Natsuki was forced to find the one person who always knew where Haruka was, Yukino. The mousey brunette wasn't as hard to find but Natsuki was forced to serve a detention she had been avoiding in order to obtain Yukino's help. After that was over and done with, Yukino, while on their way to where Haruka was staying, brought up the question of transportation. Mai, who had joined them after Natsuki's detention, out right refused to drive to Kyoto on Natsuki's motorcycle, she had ridden with Natsuki once before, never again. The matter remained unsettled until they found Haruka at Fuuka University. After Natsuki and Mai explained what they were going to do; Haruka became very thoughtful and, after a quick whispered discussion with Yukino, asked if she could come along. When Natsuki brought up their transportation problem, Haruka offered to drive them, leading them to where they are now.

Yukino glanced back at the two in the back seat and smiled slightly, it was always like that at first with Haruka's driving, "Mai-san, Kuga-san, are you two ok back there?" Natsuki half-heartedly waved her hand at Yukino to say she was alright, but continued to stare outside looking sick.

"Yeah, Yukino-chan, we're ok. And we are very grateful for the ride too," Mai said with a wavering smile. Maybe going to Kyoto on Natsuki's motorcycle wasn't such a bad idea after all.

"I'm surprised Mikoto-chan hadn't insisted on coming along," Yukino mused aloud, facing forward again.

Mai smiled a little wearily, "She did at first. But then I asked her what Aoi would do with no one there to keep her company and she said she would stay and protect Aoi."

"Senoh-san isn't doing well?" Yukino inquired, after exchanging a glance with Haruka.

Mai shook her head, "Not really…Well, she's better than when Chie and Nao first disappeared. But, I kinda get this feeling that Aoi wasn't always happy-go-lucky. She fell into this depression way too easily and seems used to masking it. Nao's disappearance shook her up a lot, but Chie was always with her. Well, even before that they were inseparable. And then when Chie vanished, Aoi fell apart."

"It wasn't instantaneous though," added in Natsuki, "Aoi became obsessed with finding them, chasing every clue no matter how small. She was a lot worse than I ever was, even when I was searching for my mother's murders."

"It was hard to watch," Mai stared down at her hands, "She kept working even when everyone else gave up. We didn't know what to do. We tried everything we could think of to distract her even for a little bit. She wasn't eating or sleeping. She-…" Mai shook her head and sighed, "And then she gave us the scare of a lifetime two years ago."

Yukino waited a few seconds, "…What happened?"

Natsuki continued for Mai, "She snapped. Senoh's lack of sleep and depression in general had caused her to be very paranoid and fidgety. She was jumping at shadows, making wild accusations. She blamed herself for asking Harada to help find Nao and the guilt was eating away at her. For weeks, she didn't come to school and was holed up in her room. Mai checked up on her every night, not leaving until she got some kind of response from Senoh, even if it was just a quiet 'go away.' When she didn't answer Mai one night, Mai and Mikoto knocked in the door and found Aoi bleeding on the bathroom floor. She had tried to kill herself"

Yukino covered her mouth with a hand, "How horrible…"

"It was a really close call. If Mikoto and I hadn't come a few minutes early that night, she would have died," Mai shivered at the memory, there had been so much blood…Mai shook herself, now was not the time, "Aoi is doing better now though, and Mikoto, Takumi, and Akira-kun are keeping a close eye on her."

"That's good," Yukino commented, quietly, "Time will heal most wounds."

Natsuki glared out the window, "Only if you allow it to."

An unsettling silence fell over the car and all the occupants sighed mentally, this was going to be a long ride.


	3. It's All Just a Game

**Ok, as I lay here with a sprained ankle and bored out of my mind, I first want to apologize for the long wait. I estimated 2 weeks and it ended up as about 7 months (…or so). I'm also dissatisfied with how the story is going (and it's only the third chapter…) But, hopefully that will help make me turn it into something epic. This chapter has given me so hope though. Secondly, my keyboard is on the fritz so sometime when I press keys, it doesn't register. If you see a word that's missing a letter or 2 please tell me so I can fix it (I don't always manage to catch it). Lastly, I'm thinking I may need to change the rating soon. If I do cross that line, please inform me. It'll be up to you, really (My moral code is too warped, so it's hard for me to tell). Thank you for being patient with me and I will try not to disappoint. Also, 'Yuuki' in this chapter is not Nao. She's one of my characters. (just making sure no one gets confused) I cut this chapter in half, 'cause I'm gonna need more time to work out the scenes that will take place (Get ready for some action people!).**

**Music: I had a hard time thinkin' of a song to this chapter and I'm still not sure about it (Does anyone even listen to these anyway?). Something like Higurashi No Naka Koro Ni or What Have You Done by Within Temptation. Or Falling Inside the Black by Skillet (I just keep addin' songs, don't I?)**

**Chapter 3: It's All Just a Game**

Cicadas are very annoying creatures. Their incessant noise making was enough to drive a god to commit murder, or, perhaps, suicide. This night they seemed particularly loud. A middle aged woman turned restlessly in her futon, trying to hold on to the fleeting edges of sleep. The cicadas only helped to prompt her into rising. The woman scowled, the one week her husband had gone away on a business trip, someone decides to visit in the middle of the night. She glanced at her bedside clock, one twenty-six in the morning, to be exact. Her scowl deepened, hearing another series rings from her doorbell. The hired help wasn't going to answer it, the maids lived in separate quarters from the main house and the last of their remaining butlers was an old deaf fool.

The woman sighed, there was no helping it, she supposed. Rising from her futon, the woman saw a movement out of the corner of her eye. Something had flashed outside her window. She felt a chill run up her spine, even as an adult, the darkness of the night had an eerie hold on her. The woman shook her head; this was ridiculous; she wasn't a child anymore, far from it. She sighed; it was probably just some animal, nothing to worry about.

She stood up, ignoring the pains in her back, and proceeded to make her way to the front door. The house creaked and moaned in the night, telling her to go back to bed; this venture wasn't worth the effort. The woman stopped and looked down at herself; she had forgotten to put on a housecoat. This wouldn't do, she couldn't just answer the door in her night clothes when it could be some stranger. That's right; it could just be some stranger, who else would come knocking in the middle of the night? It would probably be prudent not to answer them at all. As she was pondering this, the bell rang again. The woman frowned; it looked like whoever it was wasn't going to leave until she answered. She was beginning to feel nervous. What should she do now?

She tried to think, did her husband still have that old katana? And if he did, would she be able to use it effectively? No, probably not. The sword would be too heavy; she would need something lighter and, perhaps, smaller so she may hide it until necessary. She racked her brain, trying to remember if she had any items that could work.

She ran to the kitchen, ignoring the doorbell once again. She scanned the room, picking out various items, seeing what would be most effective. The woman picked up one of the brass candlesticks that were on the table. It wasn't too heavy, but it could certainly knock a man unconscious if she swung it hard enough. She didn't want to kill whoever was at the door, even if they meant her harm, that would just be unnecessarily messy. _'But,'_ she picked up one of the smaller knives that the cook used, _'it never hurt to be extra prepared.'_ She carefully hid the knife in her nightgown so it was within easy reach. The doorbell rang; her visitor still had not left.

Grabbing the candlestick, she made her way back to the entrance of her house. As she neared the door, the ringing stopped. The woman also stopped; had her visitor gotten impatient and left? She crept closer to the door, hoping to look through the small window in it. But then she heard a voice say from outside, "Mother? Father? Are you home? Please, anyone, open the door!"

The woman stared startled at the door. It couldn't be, not after all this time. She pressed her ear against the door in time to hear the young woman on the other side mutter worriedly to herself, "Ara, ara, what am I to do? Maybe they moved away?"

The older woman flung open the door, her eyes wide in disbelief. She studied the young woman who was in her spitting image. She had long tawny hair, which at the moment was tangled and dirty. Her face was streaked with mud and riddled with small scratches. Her wide red eyes, startled from the door's sudden movement, where the only features she had inherited from her father. She was wearing unfamiliar clothing, dark grey in colour and made of some material that looked similar to denim, which was ragged and worn. The older woman gripped the door frame to steady herself, "Shizuru!"

"M-mother, wha-…" Shizuru looked almost bewilderedly at her mother; she hadn't been expecting anyone to answer her. Her eyes fitted over her mother's person, taking in her appearance, the candlestick, the knife handle peeking out from some pocket in her nightgown. Shizuru composed herself almost immediately. The woman thought she saw her daughter's lips twitch into a faint smile, "Did you expect someone dangerous to be at the door, Mother?"

"W-well, yes! Never mind that now; Shizuru, what happened to you? Come inside, quickly now." Shizuru's mother ushered her into the house, locking the door behind her. Her mind was racing; where had her daughter been for two years? Had she been kidnapped? And if so, how did she escape? She was about to voice her thoughts, when she looked over at Shizuru. Her daughter looked vaguely lost, so different from a moment ago, just standing idly in the entrance way. She fidgeted, unsure of what to do.

The woman shook her head, what had she been thinking? Shizuru had just returned, it was one in the morning, and who knew how whatever happened to Shizuru affected her. Now was not the time to be asking such questions. All that could wait until morning. She stood next to Shizuru and placed a hand on her shoulder; frowning slightly when she flinch away. "Shizuru, why don't you clean yourself up and go to bed, for now? I'm sure you're tired and we'll have a lot to talk about in the morning. Whatever happened, you can forget about it for the night and relax," Shizuru's mother smiled, comfortingly, at her.

Shizuru looked up hesitantly before nodding slowly, "Thank you, Mother. I was afraid…no, never mind." She sighed, glancing up at the ceiling, "Ara, I must be tired; rambling like this," she muttered to herself, "Is my room still intact?"

Her mother nodded, "Of course." She studied the young woman for a moment, something was off about her. Despite her appearance being in shambles, she held a strong air about her, almost threatening. Her eyes were sharp, flitting occasionally about the area, almost seeming to wish something would appear so to pounce on it. She seemed to be confused as to how she was supposed to be feeling, changing how she spoke and acted when it was convenient. And, whenever she smiled, there held a sharp edge to it, as if she wished to rip the woman in two. A shiver ran down her spine, she had to be imagining things.

"Well then, I'll take my leave of you, Mother." Shizuru bowed slightly, before turning and heading off toward her room.

"A-ah, yes…" The woman stared at the empty hall, wondering, in the back of her mind, if that really was her daughter.

~/~

Shizuru stepped into her bedroom, her face a blank expressionless mask. She scanned the room, feeling no attachment to any of the objects her scarlet eyes fell on. She slowly walked further into the room, eyes now focused on a few small pictures resting on the dresser. Shizuru felt herself drawn to the picture on the end. She picked it up and examined the figure inside it. In it, a young woman, with dark blue hair in a low ponytail, stood in a form fitting black dress. Her expression looked mortified, brilliant green eyes wide with astonishment.

"Natsuki…" Shizuru muttered softly, her fingers lightly tracing the blushing girl's face. Shizuru's heart sped for a moment; a flash of pain filled her body. She closed her eyes briefly, but it seemed that even if her mind was in complete control of her emotions, her body still remembered and felt reactions to the love it once felt. She opened her eyes once again and sighed, how troublesome.

"Feeling nostalgic, Executioner?" a silky voice came from the shadow near her bed. An older woman, around twenty-eight years of age, with short, messy blonde stepped out from her concealed spot in the shadow. Her dark blue eyes shined eerily in the moonlight, bring in out a purple undertone, as she moved to stand directly in the way of the window, casting half of her face in shadows. The stranger's mouth was curved in a mocking smile, "Does thinking of your past really hurt that much?" The smile morphed into a grin, "How pitiful. I suppose you're like a child who broke their favorite toy, hm? Or, rather, someone else broke it after you had finally managed to fix it."

Shizuru kept her expression blank as the woman laughed. After she quieted down, Shizuru shot her a bored look, "Are you finished? Have you nothing better to do than pester me, Nightmare?" Shizuru knew better than to ask the blonde how she had found her, or how she had even escaped the research facility.

'Nightmare' shrugged, an amused look still dominated her face, "I'm bored. Those idiot scientists took away Yuuki again, so, I decided to get back at them." She licked her lips and Shizuru fought an involuntary shiver, there was a reason the woman was given that title. In fact, Shizuru didn't know much else about the woman besides her title and reputation.

"So, you decided to find and bug me until they discover the…mess you created for them?" Shizuru set the picture back on her dresser and leaned against it lightly, ready to move quickly if need be. The blonde was too unpredictable for her to take chances.

A cruel laugh rang through the room and Shizuru mentally thanked the fact that her parents' room was in a different section of the house. "Fuck that, I needed to find you while the trail was still fresh!" 'Nightmare' stalked closer to the brunette stopping only when their faces were a few inches apart, "Why'd they drop you off in the forest first? They could've just dirtied you up at the base."

Shizuru couldn't suppress the shiver this time. She didn't know why this woman was so interested in her; it had come out of nowhere. "I don't know. I suppose they wanted me to look authentic." Shizuru tried to look indifferent as 'Nightmare' tried to lock eyes with her, a sly smile on the face, "They sent some dogs after me as well."

The blonde pouted, mocking sympathy, "How cruel…Do you want me to help you clean up?" She pressed closer to the young woman and nipped at her ear.

Shizuru jumped and pushed her back, stepping back a few feet. She glared at 'Nightmare' and fought the heat of anger that flowed through her veins, "No, thank you. I do not think Yuuki-san would appreciate me bathing with her lover very much."

A cheshire grin stretched across the intruder's face, "It wouldn't be the first time~" She eyed the brunette as a predator eyes its prey.

"Yes, I know. You decided to introduce yourself while I was showering." Shizuru stated dryly, watching her movements carefully.

'Nightmare' sighed and gazed far off, "Yes, you were so cute back then, so naïve, innocent. You had not even killed five people, yet…" She glanced out of the corner of her eye, gauging the other woman's reaction.

There was no immediate response from the woman. A shadow hid her eyes as she turned from the blonde, "That was after my first kill. Leave here, Nightmare. I'm too tired to deal with you." Shizuru began to walk toward the door, eyes half closed in a daze.

"It's not wise to turn your back on anyone, Executioner…" The blonde stood relaxed a lazy smile on her face. Her eyes, however, were dark with desire and Shizuru knew she was just barely holding herself back from attacking the brunette. It would be one of her greatest pleasures to crush the young woman's thin neck with her hands. The thought of feeling a pulse fade under her hands quickened her breath, "I'm so envious of Tatsumi. She got to you first. She was too gentle about it though. It would have been easy to break you then and there. You were such a fragile thing when you first arrived, so scared. A flick of a finger could have shattered you!" She purred softly, sensuously, as she restlessly toyed with a stray strand of hair.

Shizuru glanced back, "Tatsumi?" She had never heard of anyone by that name in the facility. Though, this was not very surprising, the researchers were fond of keeping their experiments secret from each other.

"Oh, that's right; you've only met her once. Although, you've probably heard of her. She's one of the fourth generation, the one that came after Yuuki and I. She goes by the title of the 'Knight.' She provides defense for the facility along with the other three, the 'Hound,' the 'Hunter,' and the 'Mermaid,'" 'Nightmare' chuckled at the last one, "Haha, it's hilarious. They named the most dangerous of the bunch 'Mermaid.' She does enjoy the water a bit too much, but still…"

Shizuru turned her back on the woman once again. So, it had been the 'Knight' who had abducted her that horrendous night. Shizuru had indeed heard of the 'Knight,' many of the scientists discussed the fourth generation with envy. The team who had created them was held in the highest regard, much to the displeasure of the people who created the generations before them. But, even they were being replaced by a fifth generation, the HiME generation. Shizuru didn't know if any other of the HiME had been collected after her and, honestly, she didn't care. Honestly. Besides, it was bound to happen anyway. Those power hungry lunatics had already decided what they were going to do to each of them. They would collect whoever was left as soon as Shizuru successfully merged back into society. "Ara, and here I thought nothing could surprise me anymore. To think they would've cooperated in my capture. Amazing!" She said off-handedly, referring to the different research teams, hiding the nervousness she felt from the woman's not-too-subtle threats, she had not been trained for direct combat, "Now if you will excuse me, Nightmare, I must be on my way. I'm very tired and I am sure my mother will have plenty of questions for me in the morning." Shizuru walked into the hall, not sparing the blonde a second glance, glad to get away from the crazed woman.

"Heheh…Really, Executioner, you should be more careful…" 'Nightmare' murmured softly to herself, "You didn't even notice that they sent the Assassin to watch over you…" The woman's laugh echoed through the night, a pleasing caress that rang about the halls. And outside, a figure dressed completely in black lightly traced random symbols with a hand on the window, green eyes unconcerned that they had been noticed. If they needed to, they could just kill the women inside. A simple task. Even the 'Nightmare' couldn't stop them.

A small spider crawled from the window pane to the idle finger, causing the figure to draw the hand closer to examine the creature. The spider bit at the cold flesh. Blood had long since stopped dripping from the appendage. The figure just watched as the spider continued to bite, it was feeding.

The figure pondered for a moment before pulling down a black mask, revealing full, feminine, lips, turned down in puzzlement. She brought the hand closer and bit at the palm, avoiding the spider. She pulled back. No, she decided, it did not taste good.

~/~

"Natsuki, go back to bed…" Mai mumbled sleepily from her own bed in the hotel room. The biker kept waking up every few hours and walking around the room, restless. Mai was ready to just tie her onto the bed and leave without her in the morning. It had only been through Yukino and Mai's persuasion that Haruka agreed to stop for the night and rest before they continued to Kyoto. Natsuki, however, practically had to be dragged from the car to get her to rest.

"Sorry, Mai." Natsuki said distractedly. It was impossible for her to stay still, not when she could feel Shizuru's home so close. They would probably arrive around noon tomorrow, perhaps sooner with the way Haruka drove. It was so close. Too close. Natsuki closed her eyes and gently pressed her forehead against the glass door that opened to a small overhang. Her breath misted over the glass, "Mai, you think Shizuru's still out there too, right?" Natsuki whispered almost helplessly.

There was no reply from the redhead; she had already drifted off to sleep again.

Natsuki sighed and glanced at the night sky. She was sure that Shizuru was underneath the same sky she was. That she was out there somewhere resting underneath this same half-moon. And, Natsuki was going to find her, she decided. And nothing was going to stop her.

~/~

"Aoi-san, are you home?" Tokiha Takumi knocked softly on the young university student's apartment door. Okuzaki Akira leaned against the wall next to him, arms crossed, a passive look on her face. Minagi Mikoto stood, fidgeting, behind him, her kendo sword hanging by her side. They heard some footsteps on the other side and the door opened halfway to reveal a pale skinned brunette, her blue eyes glancing at each face, puzzled.

"Huh? What are you guys doing here?" Aoi opened the door the rest of the way, gesturing for them to come inside, "Please, come inside."

Takumi waved off the offer, "No, that's fine. Actually, we were wondering if you wanted to join us. We're going to get some ice cream at this new shop that opened recently." Mikoto nodded eagerly next to him, obviously anxious to get going.

Aoi smiled slightly, looking at Akira and Takumi, amused. "I see what you're doing Takumi-kun~" Aoi giggled as the young couple blushed bright red, "Very clever. Sure, I'll tag along; some fresh air would do me good. Just let me grab my things." She slipped back inside the apartment, closing the door behind her.

Takumi smiled, he was glad things were going smoothly and Aoi didn't protest coming. His sister, Mai, had told him that Aoi was doing better and he was surprised to see her in such a cheery mood. This was a good sign. He idly grabbed Akira's hand, seeing her blush at the contact. Hopefully, this outing will help Aoi relax a bit, and give the young couple some alone time.

The door opened once again, revealing Aoi in a pair of faded jeans and a dark green blouse, "Ok, guys, let's go!" Aoi smiled brightly as she grabbed Mikoto's hand and trotted a short ways down the hall, "Come on, Takumi-kun, Akira-kun!"

Takumi laughed, she must've really wanted to get out of the apartment, "Ok, ok! We're coming, wait up!" He glanced at Akira, sticking out his tongue playfully, before letting go of her hand and running down the hall to catch up with the other two.

Akira hesitated for a moment before running forward quickly catching up with the young man and snatching his hand in hers again, "Idiot," she muttered affectionately, a light blush still staining her cheeks. The four continued to run, down the stairs, through the halls, angering and annoying various residents with their racket, until they burst out from the front doors, onto the street.

"So, where is this place, anyway?" Aoi asked, sugar was just the thing she needed right now. The group walked down the street, energy spent during the great escape of the apartment complex.

"It's near the restaurant where Mai used to work!" Mikoto piped up bouncing up and down next to Aoi. She glanced at the older girl every now and again, keeping track of her expressions. Mai had left her in charge of keeping Aoi safe and that meant from herself too.

"Oh? That's good. That district has some really good food places." Aoi nodded to herself, though it had been quite awhile since she had been there herself. The quartet continued walking toward their destination, chatting amiably about nothing particular.

~/~

A young woman shifted on the tree branch she was perched on, peering through a pair of binoculars with a small smile gracing her features. She sat back, leaning on the tree's trunk. She put the binoculars on her lap and pulled a pair of glasses from her jeans pocket. She didn't need them, not anymore. Her eyesight was one of the first things they had fixed. But, at the moment, only appearances mattered.

The woman pondered for a moment how she would approach the group. It had all matched her report: three girls and one boy. Lucky guy, she chuckled. Four more of the targets were traveling toward the 'Executioner.' She sighed; it would be too easy if the 'Executioner' killed them right away. No, she was betting on the woman following her prey back here. Even if she felt disconnected from it, the brunette still remembered her past. _'And, that is all I need to win,'_ she twirled the glasses before pushing them up to the bridge of her nose.

She ran her fingers through her short black hair, _'Just popping up in front of them should work,'_ she mused, especially for what she had to do. If fact, startling them may lead to getting some extra intel! She grinned, quickly reviewing their names in her mind, before jumping from the tree to continue stalking the group.

_To be continued…_

**I'm mean I know (but cliffhangers are fun! So, I gave you, like, three!) Anyway, I'm taking this space to ask my dear readers a question. You see, I am going to post a new Mai-HiME story up with the next chapter (Hopefully) But, along with this new one, I have three other stories I have in mind. They are:**

**Rozen Maiden-AU-The dolls are humans and the Alice game was a fight for inheritance. Now that the whole fiasco is over, a local TV show wants to interview the infamous 'Rozen Maidens'-Drama/Family/Humor**

**Bleach-AU-Focuses on an OC character, Béatrice and her adventures in Mahora Academy, Wisconsin-Drama/Humor**

**Sailor Moon-As the representatives from each grouping of moons and guardians of their orbiting planet's princesses begin to appear, the Scouts are faced with a new problem: The Earth itself is unhappy with the trouble they've caused-Adventure/Action**

**These are really bad summaries, but I'd like you to pick the one you'd like to read the most and let me know. I'll post the one that people like the most first. The others will come later, probably after I finish this story (Whenever THAT will happen…) Thank you and Have a nice day!**


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